The man who is likely to be named Penn State's next coach mentored South Western's Damian Poalucci while playing football at East Stroudsburg

Vanderbilt coach James Franklin is doused by linebacker Chase Garnham (36) after they defeated Houston, 41-24, in the BBVA Compass Bowl Jan. 4 in Birmingham, Ala. Franklin, who is expected to be named as Penn State's next coach on Saturday afternoon, mentored South Western's Damian Poalucci when they were on the East Stroudsburg football team. (File — The Associated Press)

He first learned under James Franklin as a player. Then Damian Poalucci went on to become a record-setting quarterback at East Stroudsburg University.

Now, 20 years later, Poalucci is still learning from the man, in a way.

Franklin has grown into possibly the hottest college coaching candidate in the nation -- and is expected to be announced as Penn State's 16th head football coach late Saturday afternoon in State College.

Meanwhile, Poalucci, 38, also has been coaching for quite a while. The longtime high school assistant just finished his second season as head coach of the South Western Mustangs.

And so Franklin is still a mentor, at least from afar. Poalucci has closely followed Franklin's career and attended coaching clinics Franklin ran when he was an assistant at Maryland.

But their relationship began as teammates.

Poalucci was a college freshman from Bayonne, N.J. Franklin was an established junior quarterback from Langhorne in Bucks County.

"He always was energetic, just like he is now. Things never change," Poalucci said. "He always was a good guy to talk to ... James kind of took us under his wing, kind of like a big brother as we grew up.

"I was pretty successful up there, and I give a lot of credit to James, who showed us how things were done."

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Though a remarkable scrambler and runner, Franklin also was East Stroudsburg's leading passer in 1993 and '94. Poalucci was the team's leading passer the following three seasons.

No one has thrown for more yards in a game for ESU than Poalucci (616). He also threw seven touchdowns in a game three times.

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Franklin returned to ESU briefly to coach when Poalucci was still playing there, but soon after they went in separate directions. Poalucci immediately came to York County (He now lives in West Manheim Township) to accept a physical education teaching spot at South Western and begin coaching under Don Seidenstricker, the Mustangs' longtime leader.

Franklin began hopping from one coaching job to another, including two stints at Maryland and one year in the NFL. The goal was to continually gain new experiences, always to better himself and prepare.

But Franklin "could have been anything where you must talk to be successful. James is a great speaker," Poalucci said. "He always came across very well verbally.

"Being a coach? He didn't really talk about that (in college) That's not what he was always leaning toward, it seemed. If you said to me, 'A politician?' Yeah, sure, I could see that. He had the leadership for that role, as well. A politician or a businessman."

Of course, big-time college coaching does require plenty of glad-handing and public speaking with alumni and plenty of salesmanship in recruiting.

Years later, when Poalucci attended one of those teaching clinics in College Park, Md., he saw Franklin at work and understood the coaching fit.

"He's very energetic, and he definitely knows his X's and O's game. But one of James' greatest assets is dealing with and relating to the kids. The kids play for him."

And now, plenty of high school coaches may get to meet him or even re-unite. The Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association will hold its annual clinic in State College at the end of next month, with a good chance of Franklin and possibly his new staff participating.

Poalucci will be there, as will Glen McNamee, Central Dauphin's head football coach. He played quarterback at Bloomsburg against Franklin, then against Poalucci. His Central Dauphin teams also played South Western the past two seasons.

Franklin "played in a league in college that's the entirety of Pennsylvania ... mostly with Pennsylvania kids," McNamee said. "Hopefully, he still carries that with him, that pride in Pennsylvania football."

That's just another reason why both high school coaches believe Franklin is a great match for Penn State -- because he understands the football culture from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, and on different levels.

Plus, to Poalucci, it hits home what his former teammate has now accomplished, being put in charge of one of college football's traditional powers. One that's only a couple of hours up Route 322.

Poalucci laughed a bit about it all the other day. Maybe the "big brother" he looked up to all those years ago might pay a recruiting visit to South Western before too long.

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